Hiring an International Student

With students and alumni from over 70 nations, SNHU offers a unique and empowering experience to our international population. Hiring an international student is not as difficult as many employers think, and with the help of the Career Development Center (CDC), the process is made clear to employers.

Advantages of hiring an SNHU international student:

Multiple languages and cross-cultural skills.

Aware of business practices in a different country.

Proven English language ability and drive to learn the American culture.

Diversifies the workplace.

Obtaining a team member who is motivated, educated and adapts to new situations.

What must the employer do to hire an international student?

Employers hiring an international student for an internship position will follow the same process as they typically do to hire any student.

Employers hiring an international student after they graduate from SNHU must complete an I-9 form, just as one would with any other employee. If you wish to extend the work experience granted by the student’s F-1 status (ranging from 12 to 29 months based on major) or J-1 status (up to 18 months after graduation), you must apply for an H-1B visa. Once this petition is filed, the USCIS will review the form to determine approval or denial. Learn more about hiring an international student by visiting Immigration and Nationality Law.

What must the international student do in order to work in the United States?

International students generally hold either F-1 (student) or J-1 (exchange visitor) status, and the USCIS allows students with either status to be employed full-time through Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT). If an F-1 student wishes to be employed, that student must obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the USCIS upon the recommendation of SNHU or have authorization specific to an internship noted on the I-20 form.

If you have further questions about hiring an SNHU international student, the CDC can offer you other resources to explore this process. Please email careerdevelopment@snhu.edu to obtain this information.